Gardaí appeal for witnesses in wake of Cork crash fatality

Gardaí closed the road and put diversions in place to allow a forensic crash investigator examine the scene. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times

Gardaí have appealed for witnesses to contact them following a three-vehicle collision in Cork this morning which has claimed the life of an 84-year-old local man.

The man, who has not been named but is from the Dungourney area, was fatally injured when his car was in collision with a truck as he exited on to the N25 just east of Midleton at about 10.45am.

The man had just exited off the Mogeely to Midleton road near the Two Mile Inn to drive into Midleton town when his car was in collision with a truck travelling eastward on the N25.

The man’s car incurred a significant impact in the collision before being struck by a car travelling westwards from Castlemartyr carrying a couple in their mid-30s from the east Cork area.

An autopsy

Emergency services were alerted and the elderly man was attended to by paramedics, but was pronounced dead at the scene and his body was removed to Cork University Hospital (CUH) for an autopsy.

The truck driver, a man in his 40s and from the locality, was uninjured but badly shaken. The couple in their 30s had to be cut from their car and taken to CUH with non-life threatening injuries.

Gardaí closed the road and put diversions in place to allow a forensic crash investigator examine the scene. The road is expected to remain close until at least 5pm.

Gardaí have appealed to anyone who travelled the road at about 10.45am, or witnessed the collision and can assist them, to contact Midleton Garda station on 021-4621550.

The death of the pensioner is the second on Cork roads this year. It follows the death of a 73-year-old pedestrian who suffered fatal injuries when he was struck by a car in Clonakilty on January 15th.